Lead-shot-drying machine



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. FARRELL.

LEAD SHOT DRYING MACHINE.

Patented Sept. 26g-.1882.

No.A 265,046.

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(No Model.) i i 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. PARRELL. l

LEAD SHOT DRYING MACHINE.

UNITED STATES PATENT O-EEICE.

JOHN EAEEELL, on rrr'rsnne, PENNSYLVANIA.

LEAD-SHOT-DRYING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION'forming part of Letters Patent No. 265,046, dated September 26, 1882,

` AppncationnieaAprn 13, issn. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: i

Be it known that I, JOHN FARRELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburg,

county of Allegheny, State of Pennsylvania,

. Figs. 3 and 4 are transverse sectional views, to

an enlarged scale, of the drum and central spider-supports, taken in the planes of the lines a: x and y y, respectively, Fig. l; and Fig. 5, Sheet 2, is a view similar to Fig. 1, but drawn to a larger scale.

My invention relates to certain improvements in apparatus for drying shot by means of steam introduced into a jacket surrounding a drum or cylinder, through which the shot is passed, such drum being supported in an inclined position, and steam being introduced thereto through axial inlet and outlet pipes, which communicate with .the surrounding jacket through tubular radial arms of spidersupports within the drum, .provision being made for automatic discharge of Water from the jacket and for coupling the'steam supply and discharge pipes, so as to permit rotary motion of the apparatus, as hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the drawings, a represents a cylindrical 'metal drum or shell, surrounded by a similar metallic shell, c', with an annular jacket or steam-space, A, between. These shells may be connected at their ends by rings b b, Fig. 1, by preference welded to the shells, so as to made a solid steam-tight connection, which will not open under the unequal expansion or contraction of shells, owing to dierence in temperatures to which they may be exposed. Instead, however, of thel rings b b', the ends of the outer shell may be bent upon the surface of the inner shell, and thus welded together, as illustrated at b2, Fig. 5; or othermeans of securing a steam-tight connection may be employed, though I prefer to weld the parts, as described, in order to prevent danger o'f opening joints. Additional advantage is also secured by the lform shown in Fig. 5, since the curves in the ends of theouter shell at b2 will permit of expansion and contraction of that shell without excessive or injurious strain upon f the welded union between the ends of the two shells.

To the receiving end of the drum is secured, by bolts or equivalent binding-screws, a segmental feed-chute, B, adapted to receive shot continuously as the drum is rotated and pass the same to the interior of the drum. The drum is supported on its exterior surface by means of grooved rollers C G, which receive collars' o c, surrounding and secured to 'the outer shell. Four of these rollers are employed, two for each collarc. The drum is mounted in an inclined position, giving a descendin g slope to its inner `bottom surface from the receiving end B to the discharge. One purpose of the groove and collar-support (l c is to sustain the vertical and endwise bearing of the drum, due to this inclined mounting, without excess of friction. Also, by the use of unobstructed interior chamber is secured within the drum. Rotary motion is communicated by means -of pulley D, secured to the exterior of the drum, as illustrated in Fig 1. The drum is held upon its bearings by gravity, though additional means may be employed, if desired. By these means the desired rotary motion is secured without communicating the drivingpower through the supporting-rollers C. Gonsequently friction is reduced to a minimum, and a steady uniform movement is secured with comparatively small outlay of power and with small expense in construction. Steam is introduced into the jacket A, at or near the end of the drum in its axial line and screws into the hollow hub r of a spider-support, R. This support consists of the hub r, having thereon threaded radial sockets, into which are screwed radial brace-arms r', whereby the hub may be centered within the drum and the arms be pressed against its inner shell so as to hold the hub securely. One of the armsexterior bearings an open and comparatively I feed end, through pipe F, which enters the open IOO as, for example, the arm r2-is tubular, and at its outer end is screwed into a tapped hole in the shell a, thus affording steam-passage from the hollow hub to the jacket A. The remaining arms, r', are plugged, as at r3, to prevent escape of steam through them.

In order to assist in holding the pipe F in the axial line of rotation ot' the drum, it is passed through an additional spider-support, R', which is secured in or near the mouth ofthe drum. This support It is made and secured substantially like the support R, except that the radial arms simply press against the inner shell, a. They are screwed into similar threaded sockets ou the hub, and the latter has a central opening for passage through it of the pipe.

The steam-escape pipe I `l also passes through a supporting-spider, S', constructed substantially like the support R', and the inner end of this pipe screws into a hollow hub, s, of an inner spider-support, S. This latter support S is constructed substantially like the support R, consisting of central hollow hub, s, havin gthreaded sockets thereon, into which are screwed the radial brace-arms s', plugged, as at s2, to prevent escape ofsteam to the interior of the drum. Also, a pipe-arm, N, is screwed into this hub, passing from the exterior of the drum through threaded holes n in both shells. Port-sn in this pipe afford passage to its interior from jacket A, and thence through hub s to escape-pipe F. ln order to regulate discharge through this escape-passage, a valve, o, is employed, which seats against the pipe end n2, the hollow hub s serving as a valve-chamber. This valve is seated by a spring, o', acting through the stem o?, which latter extends from the valve through the pipe N and packing a3. A head, o3, and cap a4 afford rests for the spring o. An inclined bearing, m, secured to any convenient support on the Linder side of the drum, is placed in such position that as the head o3 is turned to the underside of the drum it presses upon the face of the bearing, and the valve is thereby raised from its seat, thus opening the escape-passage. Water from condensation ot' steam will settle in the bottom of thejacket, and by opening the escape-passage when the ports n are also on the under side the water will be blown out by pressure of steam which is accumulated in the jacket while the escapepassage is closed-that is, during the greater part of the time of rotation of the drum. It is for the purpose of blowing off water in this manner that I have arranged, as above described, for intermittent opening of the escape-passage from the under side of the drum, and I consider this an important feature of improvement, as it affords a practicable means of disposing of water of condensation without waste of steam and insures the presence of comparatively dry steam within the jacket.

.Shot to be dried are passed into the drum at its upper end in continuous supply, being guided into the drum bythe ring-shaped chute B. The interior of the drum being comparatively unobstructed, the shot will be passed through it as it is rotated, and in such passage will be dried by the surrounding heated surface, the vapor escaping at the open ends of the drum. The shot thus dried are delivered at the lower cud of the drum ready for polishing.

I have described the steam-pipes F and F as placed in the axial line of the drum and screwed into the hubs r s; consequently they rotate with the drum. Another feature of my invention is the means employed for connecting these pipes F I1" with stationary pipes, so as to permit of such rotation. This I do as follows: The pipes F and Fl at their outer extremities are screwed into threaded sockets e, formed in the end of a coupling-piece, E. On the end of the xed pipe H is an enlarged collar, h, which is seated in socket or chamber c in the base of the coupling -piece E. A shoulder, c2, forms an end bearing for this pipe. The collared end h is held loosely within its chamber by a ring or washer, e3, which rests upon a shoulder, e4, which latter forms the base of a packing-chamber, e5, somewhat larger in diameter than the socket-chamber e'. Any suitable packing, c, is employed, which is forced upon the collar e3 by a close-fittin g gland, E', and screw-cap E2. The collared end of pipe H is thus relieved from pressure of packing, and consequently it will not be worn away rapidly by use. Also, danger of blowing it out by steam-pressure is avoided, and the difculties heretofore experienced in this class of machines in introducing steam into the jacket are to a great degree obviated.

l am aware that steam has been supplied to and discharged from a jacket surrounding a horizontal rotary drying-drum by means of pipes connecting such jacket with a tubular axial shaft, also that open-ended rotary drums have been supported upon a horizontal shaft by means of spider-frames, and I make no claim herein to such features of construction. alone considered; but in my improved apparatus I make use of adjustable brace-arms r s to accurately center the hollow hubs i* s of the spiders, and also to allow of and compensate for the expansion or contraction of the shell under varyin g degrees of heat. zing one radial arm of the spider as a pipeconnection between the hollow hub and jacket I secure amuch more simple, cheap, and efficient device than heretofore.

The valve mechanism herein described for especial importance and advantage, as by it Also, by utili-- IOO the heat of the steam is utilized to a greater I claim herein as my invention- 1. A rotary shot-drying drum having a steam-jacket surrounding the same, in combination with spider-supports R and S, having tubular passages from their hollow central hubs to the steam-jacket for supply and discharge, and suitable valve mechanism for opening intermittently the discharge-passage from 'the jacket, substantially as and for the purfrom the hollow hubs to the surrounding j acket,

substantially as set forth.

3. A rotary shot-drying drum having a surrounding steam-jacket, in combination with hollow hub s, radial brace-arms s', pipe N, having ports n', opening into the jacket, valve o, stem o2, spring o', and suitable means for raising the valve to open escape-passage while the ports n are on the under side of the drum, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. The combination of rotary drum a a', spider-supports `R R' and S S', pipes F F', leading to the centers of supports It and S in `steam-pipe connections from the tubular shaft the axial line of the drum, and rotary jointcouplings for connecting the pipes F and F' to stationary pipes, substantially as set forth. 5. The coupling-piece E, having therein chambers e e5 and shoulder e4,'in combination with collared pipe H, collar e3, packing e, gland E, and cap E2, substantially as set forth. 6. A rotary shot-drying drum having a steam-jacket surrounding the same, in combination with a` tubular axial shaft, spiderframes for support of the drum on such shaft,

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 50l my hand. t

' JOHN FARRELL.

Witnesses:

1t. A. WHITTLEsEY, (l. L. PARKER. 

